Spurs v Schalke U21s - Ugo's preview

Our Under-21s will face a series of physical and mental challenges when they take on FC Schalke 04 at Stevenage tonight, according to birthday boy Ugo Ehiogu.

We host the German outfit in the second of three group stage matches in the Premier League Under-21 International Cup, fresh from Friday night’s fine victory over Chelsea on the domestic scene.

Under-21s Coach Ugo, who turns 43 today, expects the game to be a real test, but he believes it will help to stand the players in good stead for their future careers.

“Schalke play in a men’s league and they’re probably going to have a full quota of higher-age players so it will be a good physical and technical challenge for our boys,” said Ugo, whose side slipped to a 4-1 defeat to Everton in the competition curtain-raiser earlier in the season.

“German opposition are always tactically very good and they move the ball quickly so it’ll be tough, especially coming off the back of Friday’s game.

“The busy schedule with games in quick succession is something that the boys will have to deal with because they’ll encounter that in the English football season later down the line. Their bodies are used to it but their minds might not be as used to it, so we’ll have to manage the game correctly tonight.

“There are going to be spells where Schalke have possession and we’ll have to be more disciplined in our shape out of possession, but obviously when we get the ball we’re looking for our players to show one-v-one domination and to make the right decisions.

“All the other things apply as well with defenders getting the first contact on crosses and set pieces and if we pull all that together I’m confident we will get a result. The boys are on a really good high after Friday’s result but it’s imperative that we take all the good aspects that we’ve shown over the last few games into tonight.

“A win for us would mean that everyone in the group is on three points, putting us back in the mix again.”

Kick-off at the Lamex Stadium tonight is at 7pm. Follow us on Twitter @SpursOfficial for live updates.